


Built With Love

by Featherfur



Series: Arankita Week 2020 [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Arankita Week, Comfort, Crying, Established Relationship, Implied/Referenced Sex, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, READ THE AUTHORS NOTE, just a shit ton of yearning and missing each other and Kita’s a cry baby, not much hurt, prompt: long distance au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:21:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27628108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Featherfur/pseuds/Featherfur
Summary: He missed Aran so much more than he was prepared for, he missed his face, his touch, his laugh, his warmth. Shinsuke hadn’t thought it would be like this, he was used to Aran being gone. They were adults, it wasn’t logical to expect Aran to always be there especially when Aran wasn’t always there to begin with. Yet Aran had been close enough to rush too when Shinsuke wanted him.Shinsuke could wake up and think about dinner with his boyfriend and one train ride later they’d have dinner together. Aran could text that he missed Shinsuke and by the end of the night they’d be tangled together with smiles against sweaty skin.Aran’s finally followed his dream of playing overseas but with that comes the pain of leaving his lover behind. Sometimes the only touch they have are pretty words.
Relationships: Kita Shinsuke/Ojiro Aran
Series: Arankita Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2019506
Comments: 5
Kudos: 93
Collections: Arankita Week 2020





	Built With Love

**Author's Note:**

> There is implied racism, nothing graphic literally just a mention that Aran has to deal with things both in Japan and France. If you’d like to skip go from “France is good” to “Shinsuke just wanted to wrap his arms around”

The work day had long since ended when Shinsuke’s phone rang with a familiar ringtone. The love song almost made him hesitate, enjoying the familiar tone, but nothing could keep him from Aran for long. Well, nothing but miles and miles of ocean.

“Aran.” Shinsuke breathed into the phone, listening to the hearty chuckle on the other. His chest flooded with warmth at the familiar sound, trying to memorize it even as he wanted to forget it and have Aran remind him daily.

“That was fast, were you waiting by the phone?” Aran teased before his voice softened immeasurably. “Sorry I took so long to call.”

Shinsuke thought about demanding retribution, he was certain he could bully Aran into making it up to him. There were a few things he could ask for, nudes or maybe a cat. Though that all paled in comparison with what Shinsuke  _ really  _ wanted.

“ _ Aran _ .” Shinsuke said pointedly, wondering if it would be helpful to take a page from Suna’s book and whine. Again, Aran laughed and Shinsuke was flooded with the feeling of home and being loved. 

The urge to cry started to build behind his eyes but he pushed it back. It was ridiculous to be so sad when it was such an amazing thing for Aran to be overseas. It was illogical to feel overwhelmed at Aran’s voice alone and yet here he was, standing in his living room ready to sob with joy that he could hear his lover’s voice again.

“I know, I’m sorry Shinsuke,” Aran murmured the name into the phone like it was a promise in and of itself, “I missed you too,  _ I miss you everyday Shin _ .”

Shinsuke let the words wash over him, the tears spilling free before he could stop them. It was ridiculous how much hearing that meant to him, but days into his lover being too far to reach made such a simple phrase feel like a lifetime of love. He scrubbed at his eyes, hoping his voice wasn’t too audibly wet when he spoke.

“I miss you too Aran. You haven’t called in two weeks, yer terrible at being a boyfriend.” He should have known that Aran knew him better than anyone else. Aran knew every quirk of Shinsuke’s voice, every crack and lilt like it was his own. Aran knew  _ Shinsuke _ like he knew himself.

“Are you cryin’ Shin? Darling... “ Aran’s voice was more pleasing than anything that Shinsuke could compare it to. It was the rain after a drought, the light at dawn, the warmth of a blanket, every single word was a blessing that tempted Shinsuke to a heavenly belief.

“Am I not allowed to be happy?” Shinsuke cleared his throat, lilting his voice to make sure the teasing was clear.

“I’d do anythin’ to make you happy, my sweet.”

Shinsuke didn’t doubt that, could never doubt anything Aran said with his voice dripping with honeyed love and honesty. Though he would prefer it otherwise, he knew that if he asked Aran would drop everything to return. There wouldn’t be a moment of hesitation between the question and the flight booked.

“I know…” Shinsuke listened to the unfamiliar language in the background and pressed the phone closer to his ear. The half desperate urge to tune it out and only have the steady breathing of his lover was stronger than he anticipated.

“Shinsuke… Hang on one second.” Aran’s voice grew distant for a second, speaking to someone in the background.

The rich sounds of French from Aran’s deep voice were hypnotizing. Shinsuke let his mind wander to other thoughts, if Aran would keep speaking French at home or not. It was unfair that even in another language Aran’s voice still set off every nerve in his body like he was slipping into a warm bath after a long day.

“Sorry about that, Lucas wanted me to go out to lunch with him and the others.” A heart beat passed and with it the growing feeling of guilt that Shinsuke was hurting Aran’s chances to bond with his teammates. “Don’t even think about saying I can go with them, I’ve been waiting for two weeks to get this damn phone to work with international calls and I’m not missing a second of your voice.”

The snort was already echoing in the quiet room before Shinsuke knew he was laughing and crying. It was a wet sound, catching in his chest and choking him as tears slipped down his cheeks. He clasped his hand over his mouth, not wanting to wake his Granny in her room but it didn’t stop the terrible ache.

He missed Aran so much more than he was prepared for, he missed his face, his touch, his laugh, his warmth. Shinsuke hadn’t thought it would be like this, he was used to Aran being gone. They were adults, it wasn’t logical to expect Aran to always be there especially when Aran wasn’t always there to begin with. Yet Aran had been close enough to rush too when Shinsuke wanted him.

Shinsuke could wake up and think about dinner with his boyfriend and one train ride later they’d have dinner together. Aran could text that he missed Shinsuke and by the end of the night they’d be tangled together with smiles against sweaty skin.

Now they were too far apart, trying to catch moments of freedom for calls that weren’t even guaranteed and incredibly expensive.

“Oh love…Shinsuke, can you do something for me?” Aran asked as his voice dropped lower. Smooth and slow like the way he’d whisper love across Shinsuke’s skin whenever he had the chance.

Aran waited, patient as ever, until Shinsuke could work his mouth into forming a yes.

“Step outside, ‘kay?” Aran prompted and Shinsuke moved before he could think to question the order.

For a fleeting moment Shinsuke thought he’d get one of those romcom moments of Aran waiting outside. Instead there was only the glittering of snow covering his farmland and the bright light of a full moon.

“Why am I out here? D’ya have a poem for me or something?” Shinsuke cleared his throat a few times to force the words out but Aran didn’t say anything. Patient. Endlessly patient.

Shinsuke loved him.

“Nah.” Aran’s honeyed voice pitched as he laughed. “I just think you’re beautiful in the moonlight and I wanted to think about ya standing there like an angel.”

The flush seemed to crawl down the entirety of Shinsuke’s body before he fully comprehended what Aran had said.

“ _ Aran _ .” Shinsuke admonished, the edges of his lips curving up against his will at the beautiful sound of Aran’s laugh.

“I made ya smile didn’t I?” Aran didn’t need an answer, he knew. He always knew.

Shinsuke sucked in a breath, slowly letting it out again as his body relaxed. It wasn’t right to get worked up over this. Aran’s career path had been a mutual decision, a mutual promise to love each other through the distance, a mutual acceptance of growth as separate people.

“How’s France?” Shinsuke asked instead, avoiding the question that he knew would just get him teased or lectured. Sometimes Aran even managed to put them together to make sure Shinsuke didn’t take himself too seriously.

“France is good. The team is great, real helpful even when I got lost a few times… The rest… Takes some getting used to.” The tone shifted and even without seeing Aran’s face, Shinsuke knew the smile was strained. “Doesn’t have ya… Doesn’t even have the twins to annoy me… Don’t tell them but I kinda miss them…”

The voice was fond and lingering, still soft and sweet but hiding something further. It wasn’t often that Aran tried to hide his feelings, he was even more blunt about them then Shinsuke. He didn’t think they needed an explanation or reason, he simply  _ felt _ and shared it with those he held dearest.

“Aran, did something happen?”

A heartbeat passed again but this time the silence was painful from Aran’s side. The only noise was the quick intake of breath that told Shinsuke that Aran was debating on the truth or a distraction. He whispered Aran’s name into the phone, trying to convey with that word how much he loved him, wanted to know what was wrong, wanted to know everything he could.

“Ah Shin… Not something I want to talk about… It’s nothin’ I didn’t deal with in Japan, people here just don’t always realize I speak French too. They’re not as subtle as they are in Japan... I just… Just wanna think about you, nothin’ else.” The resigned tone restarted the ache in Shinsuke’s heart.

Shinsuke just wanted to wrap his arms around his lover and hold him there, safe. Keep Aran from knowing anything but love and family. It wasn’t possible, but Shinsuke had long since given in to the fact that Aran brought out a much more fanciful side to him.

“I love you.” Shinsuke breathed into the microphone. There was nothing else to say, no apologies that could mean anything, no shield or cover that he could provide. All he had was a reminder that Aran  _ was _ loved, that Aran  _ was _ respected and admired even when he was far from home.

“I know Shin… I love you too, love ya so much.” Aran whispered, like he was desperate for it to be known.

Shinsuke didn’t know how to tell him that he did know. That he knew how fully and completely Aran loved and he treasured it. It was a gift that Shinsuke was simultaneously scared to unwrap but desperate to hold it flush against his soul for eternity.

“Have I ever told you how gorgeous  _ you  _ are in the moonlight?” Shinsuke asked, dusting snow off the railing to lean his elbows over it. From here he could see the moon that was flooding the night with light. Just like the love Aran flooded Shinsuke’s and everyone he ever met’s life.

“What?” Aran’s hurt was interrupted with a disbelieving snort. Shinsuke was mildly offended that Aran could ever doubt him, if nothing else Shinsuke never stretched the truth.

“It’s true.” Shinsuke thought about his words, trying to find the way to maneuver them before deciding to just lay it out. “Sometimes the light wakes me up in the summer when the blinds are open. I used to be annoyed but then you stayed the night a few years ago, and I woke up and saw you lit up with moonlight. Don’t tell Granny, but I think that was the only time I believed in the gods. Spent half an hour trying to figure out how I got in bed with one.”

Aran seemed to choke on the words in his throat and Shinsuke didn’t need to see to know how he looked. Shinsuke was enamored with old memories of darkening cheeks and embarrassed look-aways as he sputtered out a request for Shinsuke to shut up. Shinsuke loved the way Aran’s eyes would light up with fondness even as he tried to squash down a smile and ignore Shinsuke for teasing him.

The memories faded, replaced with memories of nights pressed against sheets and hands over skin. Kisses dropped everywhere and love in every touch and brushes of souls through pretty words. The nights when Shinsuke could watch his lover sleep, peaceful and safe, and crawl closer to kiss over broad shoulders. Nights of curling into muscled arms and drunken words of affection, endless memories of long mornings drawing out touches for a few more seconds in each other’s arms.

“Ended up leavin’ the windows open every night that summer, didn’t care about the hot air, you were worth it. Ya kept wondering why I ended up halfway ‘cross the bed remember?” Shinsuke asked, listening to the heavy breathing that brought forth the vision of tears building in perfect earth brown eyes. “I couldn’t help it, I’d roll back and just watch ya. Ya smile in your sleep, I know I’ve told ya that before but… You’re beautiful Aran, moonlight or sunlight, blind or seeing, everything's amazing about ya.”

“Shin.. Darling, don’t make me start sobbing in the street, I won’t be able to find my apartment… Just… Fuck, Shin… Ya can’t say things like this when I can’t hold you,” Aran admonished but the words were choked, catching on his tongue. Shinsuke knew a few tears had probably escaped him already so he just hummed an answer and let the silence rest easy between them.

Nothing sounded more tempting or addicting than to be in Aran’s arms. Shinsuke knew he still had a while before he could feel that again, but if he closed his eyes he could almost imagine that Aran was behind him. Could imagine a ghost touch of arms around his waist and loving kisses dropped on his neck with pretty words.

The sound of traffic made Shinsuke flash his eyes open again, listening to the noise of people talking distantly before it quieted again. There was a shuffle and the sound of cloth again cloth before the jingle of keys and a door and Aran’s breathy sigh.

“I’m back home… My love, you are a crafty bastard you know that right? Making me cry to make me happy?” Aran teased and Shinsuke’s lips twitched with a rather pleased smirk. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Well… You accepting my confession was the best thing that’s ever happened.”

“I understand.” Shinsuke did.

He’d been hesitant when Aran asked him, unsure of a relationship on top of a friendship he didn’t want to lose. Shinsuke had seen what the end of such a relationship could do to two people, had watched it from his Granny’s driveway with his brother in his arms and his sister’s tears on his back.

Yet, now six years into a hesitant yes and endless laughter and affection, Shinsuke knew he regretted nothing. Even if the years came and Aran went with them, Shinsuke could never regret what they had done together, what they had become, what they had fought for. Everything Shinsuke wanted had been built and this was no different. He’d built his farm, built his body, built his mind, built his love, built his relationship.

They weren’t born soulmates, Shinsuke didn’t believe in such nonsense, but they had built themselves into each other.

“I’ll be back in your arms soon enough. We’re going to get through this, my love.”

If anyone asked Shinsuke what love was, his only answer would be:

“We are.”

**Author's Note:**

> Talk with me on Twitter @watacchishinji


End file.
